Arizona basketball falls to No. 24 in AP Top 25 ranking after loss

Dec 23, 2019, 1:25 PM

Head coach Sean Miller of the Arizona Wildcats reacts on the sidelines of the game against the Gonzaga Bulldogs at McKale Center on December 14, 2019 in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)

(Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)

BY ARIZONA SPORTS

The Arizona Wildcats are in danger of falling out of the AP Top 25 ranking as the most recent update has Tucson’s hoops program ranked No. 24 overall.

The Wildcats have lost three of their last four games, suffering defeats to No. 18 Baylor, No. 6 Gonzaga and St. John’s in a span going back to Dec. 7. Their lone win in that stretch was a blowout 99-49 beating of Nebraska Omaha. After the Baylor loss, then-No. 12 Arizona fell to No. 15, then to No. 16 after the Gonzaga loss.

The St. John’s loss, 70-67, now has Arizona falling back eight spots.

The Wildcats sit between No. 23 Texas Tech and No. 25 Iowa. Gonzaga, which is one of the aforementioned teams to beat Arizona recently, is now No. 1 after being ranked No. 2 last week. Baylor is up to No. 7.

Arizona’s next game is against Arizona State in Tucson on Jan. 4.

The Wildcats’ slide in the rankings is despite having three elite freshmen on the roster in Nico Mannion, Josh Green and Zeke Nnaji. Mannion was the No. 9-ranked recruit in the nation this past class, the No. 1 point guard in the nation and the No. 1 recruit in Arizona, according to 247Sports.

Here is an updated top 25 from Monday:

1. Gonzaga (13-1)

2. Ohio State (11-1)

3. Louisville (11-1)

4. Duke (10-1)

5. Kansas (9-2)

6. Oregon (10-2)

7. Baylor (9-1)

8. Auburn (11-0)

9. Memphis (10-1)

10. Villanova (9-2)

11. Michigan (9-3)

12. Butler (11-1)

13. Maryland (10-2)

14. Michigan State (9-3)

15. San Diego State (12-0)

16. Virginia (9-2)

17. Florida state (10-2)

18. Dayton (9-2)

19. Kentucky (8-3)

20. Penn state (10-2)

21. Washington (9-2)

22. West Virginia (10-1)

23. Texas Tech (8-3)

24. Arizona (10-3)

25. Iowa (9-3)

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Arizona guard Josh Green (0) steals the ball from St. John's guard Rasheem Dunn, left, during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, in San Francisco. St. John's defeated Arizona 70-67. (AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron)

Arizona guard Josh Green (0) is fouled by St. John's guard LJ Figueroa (30) on a fast break during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, in San Francisco. St. John's defeated Arizona 70-67. (AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron)

Arizona center Christian Koloko (35) is fouled by St. John's forward Marcellus Earlington, back left, during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, in San Francisco. St. John's defeated Arizona 70-67. (AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron)

Arizona guard Nico Mannion shoots over St. John's guard Greg Williams Jr. (4) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, in San Francisco. St. John's defeated Arizona 70-67. (AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron)

St. John's forward Damien Sears, top, knocks the ball away from Arizona guard Josh Green (0) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, in San Francisco. St. John's won 70-67. (AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron)

Arizona coach Sean Miller, left, and guard Nico Mannion react at the end of the team's NCAA college basketball game against St. John's on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, in San Francisco. St. John's won 70-67. (AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron)

St. John's coach Mike Anderson calls instructions to his players during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Arizona on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron)

Basketball Hall of Famer Al Attles, namesake of the Al Attles Classic, sits courtside during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game between Arizona and St. John's on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron)

Arizona coach Sean Miller shouts instructions to his players during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against St. John's on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron)

Arizona guard Nico Mannion (1) looks to pass the ball during the first half of the team's NCAA college basketball game against St. John's on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron)

Arizona guard Dylan Smith, left, goes up to block a shot attempt by St. John's guard Rasheem Dunn during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron)

St. John's guard Julian Champagnie (2) looks for an open teammate around Arizona forward Zeke Nnaji (22) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron)

Arizona guard Jemarl Baker Jr. (10) dribbles between St. John's guard LJ Figueroa (30) and guard David Caraher (5) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron)

St. John's guard David Caraher (5) shoots over Arizona guard Jemarl Baker Jr. (10) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron)

St. John's guard David Caraher (5) collides with Arizona guard Jemarl Baker Jr. during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron)

Arizona guard Nico Mannion (1) drives to the basket between St. John's guard Greg Williams Jr. (4) and forward Ian Steere (33) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron)

Arizona forward Zeke Nnaji (22) redirects a rebound over St. John's guard Julian Champagnie (2) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron)

St. John's guard LJ Figueroa (30) drives past Arizona guard Josh Green (0) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron)

St. John's guard LJ Figueroa (30) shoots over Arizona guard Josh Green (0) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron)

St. John's guard LJ Figueroa (30) tries to drive past Arizona guard Josh Green (0) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron)

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